This may be the most ridiculous feud in heavy metal history, well, at least this year. KISS' Paul Stanley is a multi-millionaire who really never has to work a day in his life again, but still chooses to, because he loves to go out there and rock.
Twisted Sister's Dee Snider is likely not a multi-millionaire, but he's doing pretty well for himself as well, but likely, considerably less well than Paul Stanley. And yet, something Snider said recently about Stanley's and KISS' business practices really pissed Stanley off. During a recent interview with Eddie Trunk, Snider was asked for his opinion on KISS swapping founding members Ace Frehley and Peter Criss with Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer while still having the two latter performers use the "Spaceman" and "Cat" characters respectively:
"I don't see how people could accept this. Tommy Thayer? I'm sorry. It's insulting. Not only did he play in a tribute band of KISS, he's imitating Ace in his entire act!" Snider went on to bash Thayer for allegedly copying Ace's stage moves. He said: "Oh my God — that's disgraceful. When KISS replaced Ace and Peter, and they brought in guys [Eric Carr and Vinnie Vincent] who had their own makeup and their own thing, that was acceptable. That was awesome. They were their own characters."
On a recent episode of Talk Is Jericho, Paul Stanley was asked about Snider's comments and rather than take the high road and be like "oh hey, this opinion has no actual affect on my business or personal life," he decided to lash back at Dee Snider:
"Well, let me put it in the simplest terms. In this case, this guy is a wannabe, has always been a wannabe and desperately wants attention and to be taken seriously, and that will never happen because he's obviously clueless that he and his whole band are a bunch of buffoons."
I have to say, that is a pretty great wrestling promo. But Dee Snider must watch wrestling as well, because he retorted today with a wrestling promo of his own:
A letter to Paul Stanley of Kiss in response to comments about Twisted Sister and myself he made on a recent Chris Jericho podcast.
Dear Paul,
First off, thanks for giving me the attention I—as you noted– so desperately wanted.
Now, I’ve always had nothing but respect for your band, and you as a performer, but it really comes as no surprise that the feeling isn’t mutual. For some reason you are oddly threatened by me. This said, your recent comments about my band and I on Chris Jericho’s podcast was a typical diversionary tactic used in an attempt to change the subject, rather than answer the actual accusation or question. It’s the oldest interviewing trick in the book.
As far as my “whole band being a bunch of buffoons” goes, that’s a pretty ironic statement coming from you. The argument could easily be made that Kiss is the “king of the buffoons”, so in an odd way you’ve paid Twisted Sister quite a compliment. It takes one to know one.
Lastly, on the subject of me being a “wannabe”? Do you really think so? Well then…any time, any stage. But let’s do this old school –no costumes, no pyro, no bullshit – let’s just get up there and rock. I will bury you, son.
Sincerely, the attention getting, wannabe, lead buffoon of Twisted Sister,
Dee Snider
PS: Did I mention that I’m clean, sober, razor sharp and fully capable of defending myself from any kind of lame attack? Just ask Al Gore.
Well then, now that you've heard the facts, we have to ask…
Who ya got?
